2826/Her Own Vent Bed

Her Own Vent Bed
Date of Scene:	06 November 2025
Location:	Entrapta's Lab
Synopsis:	Rashmi, Mamoru, and Kazuo move Entrapta in to her new lab and apartment. It's a very fuzzy scene. <3
Cast of Characters:	Mamoru Chiba, Rashmi Terios, Entrapta, Kazuo Saitou

---

Entrapta has posed:
"This IS the address, isn't it?"

Who is she talking to? Is that girl carrying a car? What's going on? That looks like a mecha! Mommy, what's going on? Who let her out looking like that? People can be weird if they want to, honey. Don't stare. I want a pile of explosion too!

Things heard in the background, as Entrapta unloads her random...I have no idea how to describe it. Things. A cardboard box labelled 'Fragile: dreams inside!' tumbles from the stack as Entrapta wrestles her things toward the side door. She doesn't flinch when it bursts open, peering back as she wonders what she put in that one. Probably holographic projectors or a whole cow. Maybe not that last one.

No, she just crouches, fingertips brushing her phone to life. It casts a fractured rainbow over the scene, and she mumbles to herself. "Penelope, can you scan this and see if I left anything major behind? Oh hey, this is nice. I'm already decorating. Accidental artwork! Might make that a thing, hmm."

She goes back to her pile, partly on a moving ..van? Probably a van. Partly inside of it. "Note for future moving endeavors. Skip the exploding bits for a second trip. Nerves are a bit high, and it doesn't fit with the theme."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Yes, Entrapta-chan, this is the right address."

Now that Moving Day was upon them, there was absolutely no way that Rashmi was going to allow her to have to move all her own. If for no other reason, there are better ways to direct urban renewal projects.

The first better way is to direct one at all.

"Here... let's take this all back around through that alley; there's a back door for the residents, and you'll want the practice in knowing where it is." And as she patiently, carefully leads Entrapta, her things, and the flat-bottomed cart she'd borrowed herself piled with more stuff from Entrapta's dorm room -- seriously, how did she fit so much in?! -- she mentally texts Mamoru.

TXT from Rashmi Terios -- So if you hear clattering and worried noises outside it's not a youma, Entrapta-chan's just moving in. Her apartment was on the ground floor, right?

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru TXT: ground floor
Mamoru TXT: with a back door too
Mamoru TXT: and stairs inside and outside to the second floor of her space, which is the lab
Mamoru TXT: ...be right there

And indeed, he's there shortly, though not at teleport or superjump speeds. "Do you need more hands? That belong to other people? And are still attached to them and being used by them to help you move your stuff?" Each addition sounds a little more worried.

He's in jeans and a dress shirt and a leather jacket and dress shoes, his hair is fluffy, and his glasses are clean.

Entrapta has posed:
The boxes, threatening to decorate the sidewalk, definitely need more hands. Entrapta gets Rashmi doing the more technical items, but not the MOST technical ones. Those are packed and sealed in layers.

She's got her head in a box when Mamoru shows his lovely face, and she looks up. Narrows her eyes. Then only one eye. "I know you," she manages...

But, then she processes a little more. "Hands?" She pauses, as you clarify, and actually seems ...relieved. "Oh good. I was wondering, is this a test? Do I want grafted appendages? Why would I want that, it sounds annoying at best and a lot of work."

Alien mindset. Mamoru was right to be overly Mamoru. Or just the right amount of. "Rashmi, someone's here! He brought hands!"

Then she digs back into her box. Cables, largely tangled. Humming some sort of tune as she works. "Is that back door sturdy? Some of this shouldn't be left out."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Yes, thank you very much," Rashmi translated around an amused sigh. "Entrapta-chan, this is Mamoru Chiba. He's a really good friend, extremely nice, and incidentally owns the building you're moving into, and was kind enough to do everything possible to set it up so you'd be happy and comfortable. Which includes lab space."

Her eye catches Mamoru's, and the redhead gives him an apologetic smile, of the 'this is going to be incredibly weird until you learn her language' variety. "But yes, it would be so good to have help getting all this stuff up."

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
It's fine, Mamoru's already laughing warmly. "You came to the wedding on the moon, you took lots and lots of pictures and video. Which, thank you, we forgot to ask anyone to," he says, probably not actually helping, but the way his face is currently configured, Rashmi can probably tell he doesn't mind at all.

"If you wanted grafted appendages, I... I don't think I could do that, but you don't, so I'm not sorry that that's not what I meant, yeah."

That said, the older teen eyes the various boxes, and moves to pick something up, telegraphing what he's doing in case Entrapta doesn't want him touching that one, or something. "You can fit all of this in there, and if we need to take the door off to get anything in, we'll do that."

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
"But only if we need to." A taller, white-haired boy dressed much like Mamoru, minus the leather jacket and plus dangly crystal earrings, bows to Entrapta upon arrival. "I'm Kazuo Takeba. Also a resident, and bored enough to handle most of the security. I've tried to find a level at which we can locate any of your smaller inventions that wander off, without actually interfering. I hope that's acceptable."

He is apparently also non-grafted hands of assistance. Mamoru is better at telegraphing - he waits to take the first approved box, letting Mamoru redo his act to get a second.

Entrapta has posed:
First, Entrapta takes in what Rashmi is saying. She does this because, in her mind, Rashmi is a proven intelligent person and viable information source. And she's also cool. It's a word that she's beginning to comprehend, given how flexible slang is as a general tool.

Visibly taking in Mamoru Chiba as someone that she should probably not vaporize, Entrapta looks at him, then nods as he reaches for a box. It looks almost as if she's deciding what makes sense to say. Which would be a reasonable fair guess.

Kazuo actually makes her whirl, as she was NOT expecting a fourth party! She pauses, then when nobody else is panicking, says, "I'm not very good at standard greeting protocols. Or nonstandard. Expect me to be unintentionally borderline confusing."

You know what? That's pretty good, for her.

"This is all ready to move. Anything that is going to explode, already did. I think. Nothing's actively on fire at least."

She pauses, looking into the pile. Then nods, agreeing with that earlier assessment. "Right. Just, if you see a roomba rolling around, please don't step on her. She's shy and kind of underfoot sometimes."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Takeba-san!" Rashmi says cheerfully as the second pair of hands introduces himself, and is answered by an impressively forthright warning from her kohai.

As they start to shift boxes Rashmi casts an eye over the ones that remain... which Entrapta promises would have exploded already, if they were going to. ...And yup, that just gets accepted as normal out of the purplenette. "So it doesn't look like we're going to need to take off any doors? If Entrapta is good at one thing, it's making sure loose furniture is modular, one way or another."

Glancing at the inventor in question, the redhead chuckles, hefting a box that is actually heftable by her poor noodly arms. "Luckily she is good at lots more than that. Okay! Let's see this back entrance?"

Entrapta has posed:
As things are moved, some of which flash and light up upon arrival as if they 'know' they're now home (aww!), Entrapta is unexpectedly quiet. But there's a moment when, with a pause, she's near to Mamoru. The others can of course hear and interject, but she seems to have been considering.

"Please try to understand," she says. Then says nothing for a moment, as if this is a difficult topic.

"The wedding was a lot. The music had a harmonic frequency, and I couldn't help noticing how the whole area seemed to amplify and resonate with it, and there was a crystal lattice hum in the background...this...isn't what I wanted to.."

She pauses, then looks up at the roof above. Her new roof. "Everyone was smiling and crying and... touching each other? That part confused me. It's like-- there's this shared emotional algorithm that everyone else seems to understand intuitively, but my data input is all over the place. I tried to smile too, but I think my face muscles got confused."

"You and the blonde lady were a stable emotional wavelength. People gravitate toward it. And, I don't know how to. I have sensors, and tools. None of them make it all make sense, but I'm trying."

I think that was an apology.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
"Oh don't worry, I remember Emily. She probably remembers me and Kazuo-kun too. She remembered me last time we saw each other, in the cat cafe over there," says Mamoru with a smile and the second box in hand, after handing the first off to Kazuo.

The troop of them go around the back of the building via the driveway-alley, where there's a residential entrance without the lobby there is in the front-- these doors don't stand on ceremony. "This one opens to the hallway your apartment door is off of," he points, setting the box down on a bench right by the doors.

The bench is next to where once upon a time there lived an ash can for cigarettes. It's that kind of building entrance. There are dumpsters and there is an underground garage. There are also balconies back there on that side of the building -- and the second floor balcony on this corner apartment has caution tape on a set of stairs down to the back alley, and a hazard sign on the door.

Mamoru unlocks the door with whatever code he unlocks it with and can share to Rashmi and maybe Nicomachea can share to Penelope or something but he tells Entrapta the code--

It's while they're moving Lab Boxes up the stairs and Apartment Boxes through the ground floor door that she catches him, and he listens very seriously, pushing his glasses up as he regards her and takes in her explanation.

His regard holds weight, but it's a warm weight that's too big and spread out to be heavy, a weight that's ancient and vast and calm behind teenaged eyes. "I will always try to understand," he says gently, then waits in silence for her to continue.

He looks thoughtful as she goes on, sticking his hands in his pockets, frowning slightly as he parses... that this was an apology?

Finally Mamoru's face clears, and he brightens at the end. "I think I do understand. At least part of something that may help is hugs, since from what I recall of your mentions of how you grew up, you were utterly deprived of oxytocin. It's wonderful and admirable that you've thrived as much as you have without it, and without the literal chemical network connection paths it forms, but you shouldn't KEEP being deprived of it." A beat. "Unless it turns out you don't like hugs or touch, which is fair, and there are other avenues of research to pursue."

But then the tall older teen softens, and he just looks purely affectionate. "Don't worry about not being able to reach us, you already have. And please tell me what your sensors say about emotional wavelengths! I'll remember to ask you, actually, we should focus on getting you moved in first."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"I told you," Rashmi says to Entrapta, beaming. "They are incredibly nice people, Entrapta-chan. ...Which reminds me, dietary needs. Penelope, Nicomachea, and I all try to set alarms, but... Hyperfocus is a thing, y'know? Also... everything needs to be one-bite."

It's really a measure of her opinion of the boys, that she simply volunteers this information without the slightest bit of hesitation or worry. If anyone can understand illogical comfort needs...

When the door to the apartment opens, it reveals... a weirdly industrial interior, in a large-for-Japan, normal-for-America, two-bedroom apartment with full kitchen. Hardwood floors abound, and the walls are panelled in a style reminiscent of a science-fiction TV show. adjustable indirect lighting travelling around the top of the wall and all the furniture is sleek, futuristic-looking, and practical. The windows are given heavy vertical blinds for when the light needs kept out, but Rashmi's biggest grin comes when the move-in crew reaches the master bedroom, and when Rashmi opens the door...

...The bedroom is about half the size it should be? And where a fairly large bed would normally be sitting, there's a large HVAC arrangement sitting off the floor...

...with...

...blankets visible through the grating...

Did Entrapta get her own vent bed?!

Entrapta has posed:
Entrapta-chan carries in a box, scanning the environment as she goes. She chatters softly, her words trailing after her like curious sparks.

"Statistically, you're both highly noticeable oxytocin producers. Producers? I'm not sure that's the right phrasing. But if hugs are an adaptive connector, then perhaps a single one would be an appropriate initial investment in a theoretical awareness model."

It's an absurdly scientific way to offer a compliment -- and entirely in keeping with Entrapta's general outlook on life. But her tone starts to drift as she looks around. After a few loads of gear, she stops moving.

"Did you engineer this... for me?"

She's staring now, openly. Listening more than looking, as though she's trying to take in the entire environment, and it's taking her a bit longer than standard for her model of person.

Her smile is missing, lost somewhere in the middle.

"You recognized my data patterns and adapted the environment to suit. This is both exhilarating and destabilizing. I... may need a second."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"We did, Entrapta-chan," Rashmi says, setting a box aside and moving up next to Entrapta. "I mean, the boys made it happen, but we all wanted you to be as comfortable as possible here, and I've been paying attention to what you told me. So..."

She gestures around the whole apartment with a grin, and gives Entrapta the few moments she needs. During which, she looks over her shoulder and gives Mamoru and Kazuo a dazzling grin.

Oh yeah... They did good.

And when Entrapta seems to have a handle on her ability to process feelings, she turns to the staircase up against the living-room wall. "So... D'you wanna see the lab space?"

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Looking back at Kazuo as the white-haired boy passes behind him, going to get another box, Mamoru-- just looks a second after Rashmi dazzlingly grins at them. Rashmi can tell from Mamoru's body language that he knows exactly where Kazuo is without looking, and he's looking anyway. When he looks back at Rashmi and Entrapta, it's with a grin, also.

"ALSO, Kazuo-kun's mom lives here, just far away from our apartments upstairs that she isn't bugged if we get rambunctious, and she's very interested in making sure Entrapta stays fed, as well," he tells Rashmi.

Then he lowers his voice a little and leans in closer, saying to both of them, "Kazuo-kun's grandparents are currently visiting from the countryside, and his grandmother is metaphorically a loud steamroller, so I will try to keep her away from you," this last just to Entrapta. "The other grown-up in the building is Inai-sensei, and she knows about magic."

Mamoru looks a little sheepish, and jams his hands in his pockets. "I wish I could give you the notes I've been taking on how people function in groups since I was little, but they're all in my head," he says earnestly, apologetically. "But in the meantime, I'm more than happy to help with your initial investment in a theoretical awareness model, so I'm holding my arms out to hug you."

He holds his arms out.

"Also, we may have bankrolled it and done some of the work ourselves, but Rashmi's the one who designed things and picked things she knew you'd like."

When Rashmi mentions the lab, Mamoru grins again. "There are cameras, which you can shut off if you want, but they're there so we know if you need help, or so you can record your experiments, or... whatever. And-- it's all yours, so you can modify any of it you want to. Let's go up!"

Entrapta has posed:
You know, Entrapta is still watching Kazuo. Just vaguely as if she's not sure how to place that person, or if they should be here. Yes, she was told so, but she has this THING about personal experience. It needs to be personal. Especially with people. It's like, she isn't sure how to process faces.

That's...that's exactly what it's like. She constantly has to re-process facial cues, and asks if she knows people because she doesn't recognize them, actually doesn't know who you are without contextual processing and data. Entrapta doesn't know how to see faces.

Listening to everyone, pigtail-ette leans into Mamoru, but doesn't raise her arms. She's done hugs with Rashmi, but this one is new. There are many hugs, but this one is unique and ...and Rashmi is offering to let her look at the laboratory space.

The weirdest thing is that she -doesn't- leave instantly and run hell bent for leather upstairs. She actually holds still, not saying anything. Giving the single hug the time it needs to filter into her mind.

Then, she says, "I have to go now. My brain is operating on two levels, and the primary one which calls itself science is registering on higher levels. But maybe we can try again someday."

Then she HAS TO GO. Laboratory laboratory laboratory!!!!

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Up the stairs is a short passage that ends in a door on the right, which slides into the wall as all good lab doors should. "There's a code lock and intercom system, Entrapta-chan. You'll probably want to hook Penelope into it, so she can make sure you notice when someone's calling for you."

At which point she blinks, and Mamoru and Kazuo receive text messages.

TXT from RASHMI -- Right, so... the last time she was super excited about the possibilities of a thing, she uh... henshined a little. And that was over Halloween costumes. Not saying it's gonna happen, but, try not to be surprised.

Into the lab itself is... a lab! There's analyzer doohickies, a large backlit drafting table, 3d-scanner and printer for prototyping, a computer setup with perhaps more screens than strictly necessary... But the lab is only half the size of the apartment below.

Unless you count what's behind the door labeled [HIGH ENERGY EXPERIMENTATION -- DO NOT ENTER IF LIGHTS ARE ON]

The lights are, currently, not on.

Mamoru Chiba has posed:
Mamoru's hug is a warm enfolding squish, with a side helping of gentle protectiveness-- Rashmi's seen him hug Chibiusa like this, though Chibiusa hugs back. He's tall enough that his heartbeat's on a level with Entrapta's ear, and that's a steady thing. He seems to be a steady thing.

The hug loosens before Entrapta moves away, because Mamoru is very good at reading certain kinds of situation and bodily cues, and also because Rashmi was like 'wanna see the lab' and WELL.

He's smiling as he lets go of the purple-haired girl, and he nods. "Anytime," he says with a laugh, and then finds his first oversight as he trails after them, then pauses, looking down. "Rashmi-san, did we spec anything for Emily to get upstairs or do we need to build her a ramp or something?"

He picks up the little roomba to give her a lift in the meantime, and is carrying her so can't actually check his phone at the moment.

Fortunately, the prince only ever expects Entrapta to be herself, so he probably won't actually be surprised.

Entrapta has posed:
So apparently nobody is allowed to enter. That would be because Entrapta stands in the doorway, looking at the space she's been given.

She's looking at every inch, every millimeter, her eyes tracking cubic space and parsing potential. This will go here, that goes over there, I can install supports in this wall, don't take down the structure, Emily needs an access point, increase power options, filter air, better seals on the doors, access through roof a possibility, more, more more in her brain.

She's mumbling to herself, all of this. Then she walks into the actual laboratory room, touching the monitors with one delicate hand. It looks as if she's trying to merge with the circuitry or something.

Given her history, Rashmi would know that she's already considering taking out walls. Crypto Castle was her baby, and she was used to remodeling as she saw fit...

It's almost a given that she's forgotten that there are other people here. In fact, she turns and starts visibly at seeing people in the doorway!

"Oh! Hello."

Yeah, the whole social interaction is going to take some adapting to.

Kazuo Saitou has posed:
"Hello," Kazuo says amiably, the tall one with Riventon-like hair who has so little of Riventon's body language. He lazes, lounges, makes himself part of the background and his height less intimidating. "Please talk with Mamoru and me first if you decide you really want roof access. There's five floors of other people's living space in the way, and the roof is a set of gardens we've put a lot of work into, so doing it yourself would result in a lot of your time being wasted in social awkwardness. Talk with us first and we'll figure out together how to get your needs met."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"I'm not actually sure how Emily gets in the Shed," Rashmi whispers to the boys, shrugging... which is when Entrapta remembers that she can enter rooms, too! Laughing briefly at the 'Hello,' the redhead breezes past Entrapta, setting a box down near the drafting table.

"Yeah I know this is all a lot to take in," she says gently. "But... One more surprise. And I think you're really gonna like it," she says, waving at the reinforced door in the reinforced wall at the other end of the lab.

And what a wonderland it is! Easily four times the size of what is now obviously a design lab, this place has it all! Armored glove-box stations with built-in fume hoods! Waldo stations for precision welding! High ceilings! Big Gadgets! An empty space against a wall marked out in black and yellow tape, and a socket on the wall. A note is scribbled in Rashmi's hand, reading;

<< Challenge -- If you need more power, build something with this footprint, that can plug into this socket. >>

"Municipal power needs to serve ten million people, after all," Rashmi hedges.

Entrapta has posed:
"OH there's another door!"

She didn't notice. "I wasn't going to rip out entire floors, I'm not that crazy," she says as she passes Riventon. Wait, not Riventon. She peers at Kazuo one more time, then sighs. And rubs her eyes. And doesn't explain, it's too much to figure out right now.

So, Entrapta wanders in through the new door. Stops, then turns around and walks back down the stairs. She barely GLANCED inside....

What?

A few moments later, she walks back up. She's holding something. And she puts it on, covering her face.

Welding mask.

Her hair starts to glow. "Pass in my things. I have work to do." Welding mask, on. Etherian magic, active.

Let's do this.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"...She found the note," Rashmi says.